Golf game



y 19, 1936. HlRScHAUER 2,041,678

GOLF GAME Filed June 11, 1954 2 Sheets-Sheet l May 19, 1936. v J. HlRSCHAl JER 1,678

GOLF GAME Filed June 11, 1934 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented May 19, 1936 GOLF GAME I Joseph Hirschauer, Sioux City, Iowa, assignor of one-twentieth Iowa to Hilda Mary Larson, Alta,

Application June 11, 1934, Serial No. 729,947

2 Claims. (Cl. 273-32) My invention relates to a golf game which can be used either indoors or outdoors and which is adapted to test the skill principally in driving.

7 An object of my invention is to provide a game which will readily indicate the accuracy and power of a golf ball when it is driven.

A further object of my invention is to provide the aforesaid objects in a game which is instructive as well as amusing.

A further object of my invention is the provision of such a device which is scientifically perfect and accurate and which will accomplish its results so that the skill of the golfer can be readily determined.

A further object of my invention is to provide means for indicating generally the. len th of a drive by means of tubular elements arranged to allow the centrifugal force imparted to the ball to be measuredby means ,of suitable openings arranged in such elements. I

A further object of my invention is to provid means for making the device completely accessible for repairs and the like.

A further object of my invention isto provide .3 such a game of simple construction insofar as the objects are provided.

With these and other objects .in view, my invention consists in the construction, arrangement and combination of the various parts of my ded vice, whereby the objects contemplated are attained, as hereinafter more fully set forth, pointed out in my claims, andillustrated in the-accompanying drawings, in which: K

Figure 1 is aside elevation of the device showing the driving opening in perspective, 1 Figure 2 isa side elevation showing the device adapted for outdoor use,

Figure 3 is a plan view of the device], Figure 4 isan enlarged detail view of the receiving cup and indicating flags,

Figure 5 is a further plan view showing generally the arrangement of the openings, Figure 6' is aside elevation illustrating the marrangement of the receiving openings,

. 1 Figure 7 is a detailed plan view of the receiving tube and flags: and H Figure 8 is an enlarged detail view of a section of. the tubing showing the method of allowin release of the golf ball taken along the lines 8-8 of Figure 5.

The problemencountered in a device of this character is one of indicating the power and accuracy of a driven golf ball in a restricted space. For instance if this type of device were to be used 55indoors, the space is restricted and yet it would ignate the cone-shaped member, into which the 10 ball is driven.

This member is approximately three feet in diameter at the opening I] and tapers upwardly until it merges with the lower pipe member I. (See Figures 1 andB.) cone l0 merges practically tangent at the point of junction as shown in Figure 3. From this point upwardly the tubes 12 are arranged in a cylindrical form with the small spaces 13 between.

There are ten turns in the preferred form of device of these tubes. I have found that a distance of approximately seventeen feet from the opening [I to the junction of the cone of the tubes is suitable for this purpose and I have also found that a. twelve foot diameter of the cylinder of tubes is also suitable in this device.

In this way the ball will travel approximately 12 pi or approximately thirty eight feet in each complete turn; or in nine turns about three hundred forty two feet and correspondingly less for eight, seven, six, five and so forth turns. Of course the ball in this device will encounter no wind resistance although there will be some air resistance. In other words this system anproximates the conditions involved in the regular game of golf with the exception that the space is restricted and the ball travels circularly and upwardly.

The tubes are supported as in Figure 1, which shows the indoor type of device, by means of the centrally positioned post l4, which tapers slightly upwardly until it terminates in the point l5, which carriesthe flag IS.

,The post l4 receives the collar 11, to which is attached the brace arms 18. These arms l8 are adapted to brace the steel straps I9, (see Figure 5) which can be arranged at 120 apart using three braces, or 90 using four.

The braces l9 are arranged so that each brace r lies underneath one turn of pipe; in other words close to the inside of the periphery of the cylinder It will be seen that the 15 means of suitable bolts 30.

so that the strain will be suitably supported. This structure need not be elaborated on since it does not form the essential part of the invention.

The member M is braced by means of the members 2| and 22 so that the entire device can rest upon the floor.

Where the device is used outdoors as shown in Figure 2, the post M can be inserted and anchored in the ground as at 22.

Each turn of the piping includes an opening to receive the golf ball after the ball has lost its forward momentum and starts to return. These openings are shown clearly in Figure 8. The tubing |2 in this case includes the opening 23.

It will be seen that this opening is made slightly past the vertical center line of the tube for reasons to be mentioned. v

The opening 23 communicates with the tapered member 24.

At 23, the opening is made approximately twice the diameter of the golf ball, and at the opening ,25 the diameter is made slightly larger, and just large enough to allow the ball to drop from this opening.

It will be seen that the opening 25 terminates the vertical portion 26.

The inside of the tubing |2 includes the opening 21. The tubing includes the backwardly bent flanges 28.

Around the inside of the tubing is arranged the strip 29, which is secured to the flanges 28 by This strip is made in four foo-t sections so that individual sections can be removed so that the inside of the tube |2 can be inspected or repaired if desired.

It will now be seen (see Figure 8) that as the ball travels through the tubes l2, that the centrifugal force will tend to maintain the ball approximately inthe position as shown in dotted lines as at 3|. The faster the ball travels, the

higher it will climb the slope 32.

As soon as the momentum of the ball is spent, it will stop and start to travel backwardly and downwardly through the pipes. Its speed will be greatly decreased and as soon as the ball comes to the opening 23, it will drop therein since this opening forms a slight indentation in the tube l2 and will then travel down through the member 24 through the vertical portion 26 and thence through the opening 25.

It will be seen that as soon as the ball drops from the opening 25 that it will be accurately centered, and will drop with great speed to the indicating openings .below, which will be explained later. 7

As explainedpreviously, opening number one will be in the first or lowest layer of tubing, openingnumber two next and so forth.

.. (See Figure 5.) .For instance if the ball travels only. slightly beyond opening one, it will then return andfall through opening one. However a ball driven harder may pass slightly beyond opening two .in the next layer of tubing and will .llhen. pass backwardly and through a similar element 24.attached to'opening two. Itwill be seen that in this case the member 24 is made longer to correspond with the receiving cups or tubes arrangedat thebaseof the device.

Similarly the tubes at openings 3, 5, 8, and 9 are also lengthened, although this is not really necessary since the main object is to keep the ends of the members 24 directly above the receiving cups.

The.preferred form of course is to arrange the receiving cups as shown by the characters 33,

in dotted lines by gravity.

which shows the corresponding numerical value of the flag pertaining to that particular receiving cup or opening.

Of course it will be understood that the receiving openings 23 cannot be directly one above the other. In this way all of the tubular elements 24 would involve extreme lengths in some cases, so these elements are arranged in an approximately staggered relation in the tubing. For instance as shown, number one opening will be in the first or lowest layer of tubing, number two will be in the next layer slightly more than one turn, number three will be again slightly greater figuring from number two and so on. In this way the 1 beneath the openings 25 of the elements 24. The

reason for these openings is to indicate to the player just how accurately and how far his ball Each opening is indicated generally by the character 33. These has been driven. (See Figure 4.)

openings are arranged vertically at the floor or ground level and are extended in tubular form until they pass to the central receiving tube 34. (See Figures 5 and 6.) receives the ball as it drops down into the receiving tube and can be carried to a suitable elevating mechanism, such as at 35, which is merely a chain belt with receiving fins 36 for carrying the balls upwardly.

Afiixed at one side of the opening 33 is the slender wire or rod 31, which carries the thin metal flag 38. The rod 31 is pivoted at 39 to the lip 40, which can be bent from the cup.

A small spring 4| is secured to the inside of the tube. Adjacent the opening 33 is the narrow slotted portion 42 and the depression 43 for receiving the flag member.

The flag member in its normal position by In this way the central tube 34 virtue of gravity will rest as shown in the dotted.

lines in Figure 4. However as soon as the ball openings will be positioned accurately above these openings and due to the speed that the ball will travel in dropping from its elevated height, it will always drop accurately within the openings and the flag will be raised as shown for a short interval.

The spring 4| will then act to thrust the lower end of the rod 31 outwardly. This thrustwlll be just enough to throw the rod off center, and

the flag will then drop to the position as shown As soon as the flag rises, the player will readily see just how accurate and how powerful his shot was, since the openings 33 will individually receive the ball rising to that particular 46; in other words the ball will follow the axis of the cone Hi.

If the ball is not driven hard enough, it will probably rise to the openings in level 6 or 1 or approximately to this point. However if the ball is accurately and also powerfully driven, it will probably rise to level 9 or possibly to the upper level III, which of course has no opening. The upper level Hi can be stopped up at the end if desired, although this is not necessary.

If the ball however takes the direction as indicated by the arrows 41 in Figure 6, the ball will tend to bounce along the inside of the cone and will be retarded greatly by this action and as a result will probably only go up to one of the first three levels and thereabouts.

In this way the speed and also the accuracy of the shot will be determined. The cone It) can be positioned to lie at an angle from the ground, which angle will be the proper angle in which the usual golf ball should be driven to secure the best effects of range and accuracy.

All of the factors entering into the accurate flight of the golf ball from the driving tee are taken into account in this device, and the relative values are then obtained.

As long as the ball travels at a fair rate of speed, it will travel along the, tubing l2 approximately as shown in 3| of Figure 8, and as heretofore explained as soon as its momentum is spent, will roll backwardly slowly and drop through the opening.

I have also provided the wire netting 48 in case the golf ball strikes outside of the opening H, which will cause it to be returned to the driving tee.

The receiving tubes and flag receiving receptacle include the flanges 49 if desired.

It will now be seen that I have provided a golf game which can be used in a limited space, either indoor or outdoor, which will readily indicate the accuracy or power of a golf ball drive.

It will also beseen that I have provided means in this game which will provide amusement as well as instruction.

It will also be seen that this device operates on well known scientific principles, which will permit of great accuracy, and it will be seen that the device is constructed simply, is accessible for repair and the like and is of comparatively simple construction.

Some changes may be made in the construction and arrangement of the parts of my invention without departing from the real spirit and purpose of my invention, and it is my intention to cover by my claims any modified forms of structure or use of mechanical equivalents, which may be reasonably included within their scope.

I claim as my invention:

1. A golf game comprising a cone member positioned to receive a driven golf ball, a cylindrically arranged coil of round pipes communicating with the cone member, means for indicating the extent of travel of the golf ball in the coil of pipes, said means including openings arranged at separate horizontally spaced intervals in the coil, further means for registering the drive including a plurality of cups including pivoted flags adapted to receive the golf balls dropping through said openings, means for accurately centering the balls above said cups including tapered necks communicating with the pipes, said necks including vertical portions positioned directly above the receiving cups, said cups being arranged in a fiat horizontal plane beneath said coils to correspond with said openings.

2. A golf game comprising a cone member positioned to receive a driven golf ball, a cylindrically arranged coil of round pipes communicating with the cone member, means for indicating the extent of travel of the golf ball in the coil of pipes, said means including openings arranged at separate horizontally spaced intervals in the coil, futher means for registering the drive including a plurality of cups including pivoted flags adapted to receive the golf balls dropping through said openings, means for accurately centering the balls above said cups including tapered necks communicating with the pipes, said necks including vertical portions positioned directly above the receiving cups, said cups being arranged in a fiat horizontal plane beneath said coils to correspond with said openings, means for returning the driven golf balls including a central tube communicating with the receiving cups with tributary tubes.

JOSEPH I-IIRSCHAUER. 

